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Sociolinguistics from the Periphery "presents a fascinating book about change: shifting political, economic and cultural conditions; ephemeral, sometimes even seasonal, multilingualism; and altered imaginaries for minority and indigenous languages and their users."

Summary Details

WITH MANY THANKS TO THOSE WHO VOLUNTEERED TO HELP US, HERE IS ATENTATIVE SUMMARY OF THE SURVEY WE CONDUCTED ON ENGLISH USAGE.

1. SENT QUESTIONNAIRE TO 46 VOLUNTEERS, AND COLLECTED FROM 36.2. BREAKDOWNS IN TERMS OF:(A) NATIONALITY: 23 AMERICANS, 8 BRITISH, 1 CANADIAN, 4 AUSTRALIANS(B) GENDER: 19 FEMALES, 17 MALES(C) AGE BRACKET: (3 -60S), (7 -50S), (5 -40S), (12 -30S), (9 -20S)3. THE SENTENCES ASKED WERE:(1) THE POLICE ACCUSED HIM AS A MURDERER. (MEANING THE POLICE ORSOMETHING PROSECUTED HIM AS A MURDERER)(2) HE IS NOT EASY OF ACCESS (MEANING HE IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PERSONTHAT IT IS NOT EASY TO APPROACH HIM.)(3) SHE WAS SITTING ON THE CHAIR WITH HER LEGS ACROSS. (MEANING SHE WASSITTING ON THE CHAIR WITH HER LEGS CROSSED.)(4A) HE ADMONISHED ME THAT I BE PUNCTUAL.(4B) HE ADMONISHED ME THAT I SHOULD BE PUNCTUAL.(MEANING I AM OFTEN LATE SO THAT HE ADVISED ME TO BE PUNCTUAL.)(5) THE MUSIC IS ALIEN FROM EUROPE. (MEANING THE MUSIC SOUNDS EXOTIC ANDDOES NOT SOUND LIKE EUROPEAN MUSIC..)(6) HE IS AMOROUS OF THE GIRL. (MEANING HE IS IN LOVE WITH THE GIRL.)4. SUMMARY OF RESPONSES:FIGURES IN THE ORDER: OK POSSIBLE BUT (ARCHAIC, TOO FORMAL, ETC.)NO(1) 1-4-31(2) 0-3-33(3) 1-0-35(4A) 8-2-16(4B) 18-2-5(5) 1-0-35(6) 2-4-305. A TENTATIVE ANALYSIS:MOST OF THESE EXPRESSIONS WERE USED IN 16-19CENTURY ENGLISH AS IS FOUNDIN OED AND IN EARLIER VERSIONS OF COD, THEREFORE WE HAVE NO INTENTION TOPUT BLAME ON ENGLISH-JAPANESE DICTIONARIES FOR RETAINING SUCH ARCHAICOR IMPOSSIBLY OLD-FASHIONED EXPRESSIONS. MANY OF THERESPONDENTS TOLD US THAT MOST OF THOSE SENTENCES ARE ARCHAIC OREXTREMELY OLD-FASHIONED OR IMPOSSIBLY FORMAL; SOME OF THESE SEEMTO SOUND FOREIGN OR NON-NATIVE, BUT WE DO NOT FIND ANYSIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES EITHER AMONG NATIONALITIES OR AMONG AGE-BRACKETSOR AMONG GENDERS.WE WILL USE THIS DATA FOR THE ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE DURING THE PAST ONE HUNDRED OR SO PERIOD OF TIME.